Monday, June 21, 2010

JunSu who began his solo activities, performed the grand
finale at [Girls Award 2010]!
As a prelude to his solo activities, JunSu showed off his brand new
look in the [Girls Award 2010]. On 22nd May, at the National Yoyogi
Stadium No. 1 Gymnasium, Marie, Yona, Lena Fujii and other popular
models, Natsuki Kato, IKKO, Akina Minami, Nozomi Sasaki, alongside
singers Nishino Kana, Meisa Kuroki, Aoyama Teruma et cetera
participated in this event (Sawajiri Erika’s debut stage performance
was one of the most anticipated amongst the Japanese entertainment
circle), and JunSu finally appeared at the end as XIAH junsu.
The moment his first solo track [Intoxication] played, the audience
went into a frenzy and the cheerings went through the roof (it was 20
times more than what was imagined before). A lot of red-light sticks
started to light up and move with the music, and it was as though all
12,000 people in the venue were JunSu’s fans.
In the intersection of the light beams, JunSu, who was in an
all-black attire, focused on the sexy dance moves with his dancers.
Suddenly, he removed his jacket, revealing his shiny vest and his arms,
and started to dance together with a female dancer for his second
track [Xiatic]. At that moment, the screamings in the venue became
louder. To the fans, the six-hour wait to watch a provocative
performance filled with such a mature charm was definitely worth
something now!? The release of the single track on 26th May ranked
second on the Oricon Chart, after AKB48.TVXQ Special History 2004~20102004: TVXQ Finally Emerged! A Prelude To A Legendary Group.

Chorus, harmony, dance, these are some essentials an idol group must
possess. To be an all-rounder and excel in it is no mean feat; and
under such a situation whereby one needs to undertake “singing”, “rap”
or “dance”, it is understandable if the members were to develop a
specialization in a certain aspect. However, TVXQ is different – the
group was formed with five members who could each stand on his own to
take the lead in a song.
TVXQ made their glamorous debut in 14 January 2004 with their solo
track [Hug]. In Korea then, where the craze for idol groups was dying
off, even a debut was an arduous struggle before they could start to
bear fruits of success, but [Hug] actually came out top in music
programmes several times, and the name (TVXQ) quickly rose in
popularity and fame. Just like the significance of their name, that
period was really one where the gods of the East began rising.
Thereafter, in October that same year, TVXQ, who had became a
popular group in a blink of an eye, released their first album
[TRI-ANGLE], which sold around 100,000 copies. They won the award for
best newcomer in a song festival held at the end of the year, and they
were officially in the rankings of top stars in Korea. During this
period, they held a Japan memorial press conference at the Narita
Airport on 23rd November, and officially began preparations for their
debut in Japan.2005: The Hardships They Suffered
As J-Pop Newcomers In Japan

Nearly a year after their debut, they were already top stars in
Korea. Riding on the major success of Korean drama [Winter Sonata],
there was a huge possibility for them to debut and gain popularity
quickly in Japan, where people were into the Korean craze. But they
decided not to take the short-cuts. In order to gain proper recognition
such that their popularity would be able to enjoy longevity, at the
peak of their popularity back in Korea, they decided to take the route
to start out as J-Pop newcomers. The five of them officially focused
their activities towards Japan, and began living together in Tokyo.
After a period of learning Japanese and practicing the different
intonations, on 27th April 2005, they released their first solo track
[Stay With Me Tonight] in Japanese. However, they did not enjoy the
same success they had back in Korea when they had first debuted. In
Korea where they were able to attract 50,000 fans for a live
performance, they only had 50 in Japan. The people around them were not
surprised when they walked around the streets…stunned by the
humiliation they received in their popularity and fame, they even
developed thoughts of wanting to give up on their activities in Japan.
However, they did not stay disheartened. In order to be recognized by
Japan, the first step they took was to work hard to learn Japanese so
that they could have a better understanding of the lyrics and interact
more fluently.2006: Their First Live Tour –
Their Persistent Efforts Finally Began To Bear Fruits

Their first Japanese album [Heart, Mind and Soul] was released on 23
March 2006. They slowly began to gain recognition and fame as their
consistent and practical hard work began to show in their ongoing
activities. As the good relationships amongst the five TVXQ members,
their cute albeit rigid Japanese, and their individual personalities
started to be expressed slowly, the number and variety of fans that
they had naturally began to grow and increase.
During this time, from 13th May till 28th June, they held their
first Japan tour [1st Live Tour 2006~ Heart, Mind and Soul~]. This was
the mini-concert which they held at a jazz concert hall, and the
tickets were all sold out. Since their first arrival in Japan, it was
probably during this tour that the members finally felt that their
dreams were slowly becoming reality. During summer, they participated
in a music festival called [a-nation], which is owned by a major record
label for the first time. There were probably many music fans who were
affected by their passionate and enthusiastic performance then. In
addition, that was also the year where they held a lot of live events;
there was [The 1st Live Concert Rising Sun] in Korea in February and
their first tour [Rising Sun 1st Asia Tour], which began in July in
Malaysia and Thailand.2007: The Moment Their
Performance At Nippon Budōkan Marked The Reality of Their Peak

While TVXQ carried out activities mainly in Japan, they also
maintained constant activities in Korea. They released their second
album [Rising Sun] in 2005, and another mini-album in that same period.
Carried out concurrently with their three tours, which had completely
different settings and performances from each other, as young as they
were, it is hard to imagine the fatigue that they had to put up with
with such a densely packed and demanding schedule. As such, in a live
dance class, an argument broke out amongst the members (this is
probably what formed the plot of Vacation).
Under such circumstances, they still released seven singles and
their second album [Five In The Black] in Japan in 2007. The month of
May marked the beginning of their tour [2nd Live Tour 2007 – Five In
The Black], and 22,000 people attended the two additional performances
in Nippon Budōkan. The total attendance for the tour was 77,000, and
the overwhelming response greatly surpassed their first tour.
Henceforth, the release of their solo track finally appeared on the
Oricon Charts for the first time. The rise of TVXQ in Japan was just
around the corner.2008: Making History As The
Strongest Asia Star By Topping Oricon Charts

The good news suddenly came in 2008. The 16th solo track [Purple
Line], which was released in January, realized the vision of the five
members by topping the Oricon Weekly Chart. Through this opportunity,
the degree of attention by the media towards TVXQ surged. After [Purple
Line], [Beautiful You], [Why Did I Fall In Love With You], [Mirotic]
achieved top spots in the charts consecutively, and when they began
their tour [3rd Live Tour 2008 – T -] in March, it was hard to obtain a
ticket even if you had joined the fanclub.
Opportunities to appear on prime-time variety shows also increased,
and with their unpretentious and charming individual personalities,
TVXQ’s popularity went up another level They finally appeared on Kōhaku
Uta Gassen towards the end of the year, and achieved their goal of
“gaining recognition in Japan based on their strengths alone”.

Along with their huge success in Japan,
they returned to Korea after a two-year hiatus to release their
long-awaited fourth album [Mirotic]. Due to their long absence in their
activities in Korea, the five of them suffered a lot of unease and
pressure but eventually sold 460,000 copies of [Mirotic]. In that year,
TVXQ swept all the major music awards in Korea, especially in the
unforgettable [2008MKMF]. Changmin, who is rarely seen crying, broke
down uncontrollably in front of everyone. To be able to achieve success
in Asia, including Korea and Japan, was definitely something
extraordinary.
2009: In The Twinkling Of An Eye, The Taste And Joy Of Success …Facing
The Crisis Of A Disbandment

The fast progression of TVQX did not lose momentum even in 2009 as
the release of their fourth Japanese album [The Secret Code] in March
achieved one of the best sales record in the history of TVXQ thus far,
and was certified Platinum in Japan’s Oricon Weekly Chart. They began
the [4th Live Tour 2009~ The Secret Code] in May, and during the tour,
they officially announced that they will be holding additional concerts
in the Tokyo Dome, achieving yet another of the goals that the five
members have set.
After the tour, JeJung and YuChun released a self-composed duet
under the name of “JeJung & YuChun (from THSK)”. YunHo and ChangMin
were also confirmed as leads in their respective television dramas,
and each member became more and more active in their solo activities.
The breaking news of their possible disbandment lay in wait.
On 31st July 2009, the three members, JeJung, YuChun and JunSu
submitted an injunction request to the Seoul Central District Court
regarding South Korean company SM’s exclusive contracts. After this,
the relationship between the trio and SM took a turn for the worst. In
October, the court judge gave a verdict on the contents of the
exclusive contract to be invalid, and that the three members were free
to commence their own activities outside of SM’s management until the
conclusion of the lawsuit. The activities of the five members in Korea
became impossible. However, they continued their activities in Japan,
appearing in the scheduled participation of August’s [a-nation ‘09] and
[Jingu-Gaien Hanabi]. Attending the year end [Kōhaku Uta Gassen] as a
start, they participated many times in the Japanese Music Festival and
painfully bade goodbye to the old while welcoming in the new.
2010: TVXQ’s Activities Stopped, But The Hearts Of The Five Have Yet To
Be Separated

Their 29th solo track [Break Out] was released on 27th January 2010,
and achieved first place in both the Oricon Weekly and Monthly Charts.
They also broke the sales record set by foreign artistes by selling a
total of 256,000 copies. However, the crisis of a possible disbandment
remained unchanged. On 3rd April, AVEX released an official statement
to cease the activities of the five members as THSK, and Japan was no
longer able to see the five members promoting activities together.
During this period, the trio, JeJung, YuChun and JunSu accepted the
verdict met out on October 2010 and began their own activities. JunSu
performed in a musical [Mozart!] in January while JeJung starred in a
Japan drama [Sunao Ni Narenakute], which is currently on broadcast.
YuChun starred in a mobile television drama [Beautiful Love~ Kimi Ga
Ireba ~], which began broadcast on 4th June, and at the same time,
confirmed his role in Korean drama [SungKyunKwan Scandal]. The trio
then formed [JYJ], and held performances in June at Osaka and Tokyo
Dome. YunHo and ChangMin, who stayed on with SM also actively began
their own solo activities.
On 9th May, SM appealed against the verdict on the trio’s request,
but there was no progression on both sides. The residing court judge
advised that “if the contract contents are changed, there is a
possibility for the five members to be active again”, but how future
developments will turn out is still worrying. We hope to be able to see
once again, the five of them on the same stage, cheerful and in
harmony.Source: ODINA + baiduTVXQ
Translation: kimuchi3005 @ OneTVXQ.com
Credits: OneTVXQ.com { One World. One Red Ocean. One TVXQ! }